Why can't I buy plain E5 petrol?

All of the fillings stations I have used only sell E5 petrol with their branded additives such as Ultimate, Nitro+, V-Power, Momentum at a premium of 20-30p on E10 fuel.

I guess this is to make more money and to save having to install an extra pump / tank, but why can't they switch one of the premium pumps to dispense plain E5?

Is there anywhere that sells "plain" E5 petrol?

Asked on 18 July 2025 by gasengineer

Answered by David Ross

Since September 2021 the standard grade of 95 octane fuel became E10, and E5 fuel is only available as premium fuels which are higher octane of 97 and above. You can check your car's compatibility with E10 fuel on the government website here - www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-e10-petrol If you would prefer not to use premium fuels all the time, you could use a mix of E5 and E10 or use E5 with a fuel additive such as Redex Petrol System Cleaner.

Tags: petrol petrol stations e5 petrol

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